Developer Diaries

Saints Row Developer Diary #5

We created the gangs to be very distinct, with their own visual styles and personality. The gangs all have their own unique story, and we wanted that to show in their designs, personalities, even down to their vehicles of choice. The Vice Kings are a mob-type gang, heavily involved in big business. Their style was modeled after traditional hip-hop styling, with their high-ranking gang members wearing an "up-town" look. They wear expensive suits and a few central bling pieces to give them an appearance that allows them to fit into the business worlds that they are secretly controlling. The Carnales rule the drug trade of Stilwater, so we approached this gang with a heavy Latin feel. The higher-ranking gang members go with a zoot-suit style that really pops them out. The Rollers are heavily involved in the underground racing scene, as well as hijacking and chop-shop operations. Therefore, their style is more in line with the tuner and car-mod crowd. Sleeker high-end casual styles and racing leathers are common elements for the Rollers gang, particularly the higher-ranking characters.

Vehicles

The vehicles are another area where we wanted to provide heavy customization. Almost every vehicle in the game is customizable, from the hundreds of paint options to body mods and performance upgrades. The style for these vehicles varies wildly -- from the low-rider look to the sleek tuner look to the high-end exotic sports car. We've got options for rims, hoods, convertible tops, etc. There are literally thousands of choices, all with subtle differences from one car to another to make them all look and feel unique.

Cinematics

We had the script for the dialog and story of Saints Row early on, and we could really tell that it was going to be great. We knew that we wanted to create a film-like experience for the story progression through pacing, framing and editing. But what really pushes the cinematics to the next level is the all-star voice cast. Once we had all the rough recordings, we focused on the visuals to bring out the character motivations and individual personalities. It was very important for us to produce some of the best cutscenes done to date. We really pushed the feeling of the characters through lighting and camera work, to create an experience that the player will not forget.